Audubon Aquarium & Insectarium doesn’t list a discount for individual teachers. What it does list is a school group rate: the groups page puts Orleans Parish schools at $15.00 a person and non-Orleans Parish schools at $20.00 a person for the Aquarium & Insectarium, for school field trips of 20 or more guests. The same page says the price applies to everyone in the group, teachers and chaperones included.
If you’re the one who has to make the field trip happen, with the permission slips, the bus and the headcount, the useful part is knowing the numbers before you ask for a quote. Below is what the page says about the rate, the deposit, the chaperones, and a funding program a school can ask about.
How To Get The Audubon Aquarium & Insectarium Teacher Discount
There’s no teacher discount to claim at the ticket window, so the way to save is to book as a school group. The groups page describes the School Groups option as being for schools visiting as a field trip with 20+ guests. Its rate table lists Orleans Parish Schools at $15.00 and Non-Orleans Parish Schools at $20.00 for the Aquarium & Insectarium. The page says prices are per person and apply to everyone in your group, and that admission is required for guests ages 2 and up.
You start with a reservation request on the groups page. The page recommends requesting a reservation at least two weeks in advance, and it says reservation requests should be submitted with the intention of booking a group visit. For questions, the page lists reservation hours of Monday through Friday, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, at 504-861-2537.
What A School Group Pays And Plans For
Because the rate is per person for everyone, the page is direct that group leaders must collect payment from all participants, including teachers and chaperones, before arrival. So a teacher doesn’t ride free on a class trip here. Chaperones are required, though: the page says all facilities require one adult chaperone for every ten children.
Money comes up front. The page says a non-refundable deposit is required for all group reservations and must be paid two weeks before the visit to secure the date. Its deposit table lists $300 plus tax for Orleans Parish schools and $400 plus tax for non-Orleans Parish schools at the Aquarium & Insectarium, and the page says deposits count toward your total invoice and are non-refundable. Final group counts are due no later than 72 hours before your visit.
Two smaller things matter on the day. Latecomers must pay full price and may not be included under the group reservation, so tell your parent drivers about the arrival time. And the page says there is no bus parking or standing available near Audubon Aquarium, which is worth settling with your bus company before the trip.
Funding And Free Classroom Resources
The groups page says Chevron Field Trip Funds may be available to support qualifying school and youth group visits to Audubon Zoo or Audubon Aquarium and Insectarium. It’s limited: the page says funding is awarded to groups that meet specific eligibility criteria, and that a member of the Sales team follows up if your group qualifies. The way to be considered is to submit a group reservation request.
The page also offers free Digital Learning Kits, which it describes as grade-level resources for elementary students with activities focused on Louisiana wildlife, ecosystems and the natural world. You request them from the same page, and they’re a way to prepare your class before the visit.
Visiting On Your Own
For a visit that isn’t a class trip, we couldn’t find anything aimed at teachers. The Aquarium & Insectarium FAQ lists an adult admission price range of $45 to $55 and says seniors (65+) receive a $5 discount off standard admission. Groups of 19 or fewer don’t use the group rate; the groups page sends them to a separate ticket page.
The discounts page lists the Zoo and Aquarium combo, group discounts, a membership and the New Orleans Good Times Pass, which lets you choose 6 attractions from 25+ experiences for one price. A teacher isn’t named in any of them. If you’re also a college student, the membership page says students with a valid college ID receive 25% off an Individual Membership.
Audubon’s Community Connect free days are for Orleans Parish residents, not for teachers as such. The page answers the question of whether they apply if you work in Orleans Parish with this: the offer is only for Orleans Parish residents. Residents with a valid government-issued photo ID receive free admission for themselves and up to four guests. Memberships and the Orleans Parish free-day IDs can’t be used for a group reservation.
What We Couldn’t Confirm
None of the pages we read describes a discount for a teacher visiting alone, or a free ticket for the teacher on a school trip. The groups page doesn’t say how it decides whether a school counts as an Orleans Parish school, so ask the reservation team if your school sits near the line. We also couldn’t see what funding a school might receive, since the page only says the funding is limited and awarded by eligibility.
Q&A
Does Audubon Aquarium & Insectarium offer a teacher discount?
We couldn’t find one. The groups page lists school group rates of $15.00 a person for Orleans Parish schools and $20.00 for non-Orleans Parish schools.
Do teachers and chaperones get in free on a school trip?
The page says group leaders must collect payment from all participants, including teachers and chaperones.
How many chaperones do I need?
The page says all facilities require one adult chaperone for every ten children.
How big does the group have to be?
The School Groups option is for schools visiting as a field trip with 20+ guests. Groups of 19 or fewer buy their tickets through a separate ticket page.
How much is the deposit?
For the Aquarium & Insectarium, $300 plus tax for Orleans Parish schools and $400 plus tax for non-Orleans Parish schools. It’s non-refundable and due two weeks before the visit.
Can my school get help paying for the trip?
The page says Chevron Field Trip Funds may be available for qualifying school and youth group visits. Submit a group reservation request to be considered.
Can I use my Audubon membership on a group visit?
No. The page says Taylor Scholar Certificates and Audubon Memberships are not applicable with group reservations or group discounts.
More Information:
The details above come from Audubon Nature Institute’s own groups, FAQ, Community Connect, discounts and membership pages as they loaded when we checked, and rates and rules change. Check the groups page before you build a budget. See more entertainment discounts for teachers.
